Dr. John O'Brien

John O’Brien is a sociologist whose interests include political leadership, the social aspects of the consumption and control of psychoactive substances, and urban life. He is a lecturer in sociology in the Department of Applied Arts in Waterford Institute of Technology where he teaches courses on sociological theory and social research methods. He completed his PhD in 2011 which examined the long-term historical processes that have shaped the use of and the regulation of alcohol. Statesman: The Politics of Limits and the Liminal, edited with Agnes Horvath was published in 2013. He is currently leading a research project on alcohol-related public order offences in the night-time economy.